 Denise came to the United States in 1947 and became an American citizen in 1952.On 15 February 1952 she was named "Miss Welder of 1952" by the National Eutectic Welders' Club.Presenting her with a scroll as "the girl we would like most to weld with" was R. D. Wasserman, President of the Eutectic Welding Institute.